


Heroes

by QuinnCliff



Series: Heart's a Mess [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Flashbacks, Jealous Jim, Jealous Sherlock, M/M, POV Alternating, Possessive Behavior, Some Bram Stoker inspiration, Vampire Jim, Vampire Sherlock, Younger John
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-02 18:13:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5258663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuinnCliff/pseuds/QuinnCliff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After learning his past identity, John has to deal with all the chaos that comes with being a vampire prince while a war might start amongst old and new vampires.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Luthien_00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthien_00/gifts).
  * Translation into Polski available: [Herosi](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5259476) by [Luthien_00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthien_00/pseuds/Luthien_00)



> Aw jeez! I know, I know... It's been a loooooong time since I've updated this series, and I'm truly sorry for that! Many things happened and I wasn't able to get the so needed inspiration to go on, but now... A-ha! Yes, finally! 
> 
> So, some tags will probably be added during our road here, also... I have no beta or britpicker, so if anyone wants to volunteer it'd be great! While I have none, I apologize for all the grammar mistakes you might find out! 
> 
> I want to dedicate this chapter to Luthien_00 for always supporting this story and for translating this series to Polish. You're a fantastic friend, and I cannot thank you enough!
> 
> Hope you all like it! Don't worry, now you'll have new chapters every week! xx

 

_"Oh, but I'm scared to death that there may not be another one like this. And I confess that I'm only holding on by a thin, thin thread."_

 

__

“This is old copper, it’s useless trying to break it.” Iolanda sighed, leaning her back against the stony damp wall.

“What else do you suggest us doing?!” Ioan snarled at her, holding by a millisecond the urge to bare his fangs. He wouldn’t admit that but she was right. The dungeons and all the cells were created specifically to hold vampires so their powers were indeed useless there, but Ioan refused to just sit down and wait for something he didn’t know what. He punched the grid again and rested his forehead against it.

Everything had happened too fast. He wasn’t even sure how the guards that took them to the prisons looked like. One moment John was holding the medallion then a shadow ha d killed Eugen and his men, after that John had passed out but before he hit the ground the great mysterious man - who soon they found out to be Prince Vlad - was gathering a very fragile-looking John in his arms, whispering words older than Ioan’s time as human. Sherlock had then jumped wildly on the prince, but he never got to the target. Instead he  was thrown all the way to the other side of the room. Soon enough there were new vampire guards inside the place, but these were clearly different than the Devreme ones. They didn’t bear purple c loaks but shinny hauberks and red blouses, with a long silver sword in their hands. All it took was some Latin murmured words from Vlad to make them carry Ioan and Sherlock to the dungeons. And carry is the right and precise thing they did. Quite humiliating, yes, but those vampires were stronger and apparently older than both Holmes and himself.

“Do you think we’re fucked? Imagine what he’ll do to the rest of the Devreme family.” Iolanda said with a small smirk on her face. “They were the ones who started all this mess all those years ago, and now they tried to kill Vasile, they—“

“John.” 

A deep icy cold voice cut the air and his sister’s speech. The twins looked at Sherlock Holmes at the same time, a little surprised he finally decided to speak. The curled haired vampire was on the corner of the cell, knees on his chest and head bowed down facing the wall. He had been like that since they were brought there. Ioan had questioned him and urged him to try and do something but he seemed far far away in his own mind, eyes distant and hopeless. Ioan could only wonder if the desperation Holmes felt was anything like the one he was feeling. Not only he feared for John – he knew Vlad wouldn’t harm him but there was no way telling if John would end up hurting himself – but he also feared for him and his sister; and he even pitied Sherlock.

“He was Vasile longer before he became John.” Iolanda calmly retorted.

Sherlock now turned his head completely to glare daggers at the vampire woman. “John is who he really is inside. Vasile was forced upon him.”

“Quite the opposite, actually.” Iolanda snorted.

Holmes stood up but before he could assume a position of attack, Ioan put himself between them both. “You two, now is not the time. And I think John is the one who’ll have to decide that. Now we need to find a way to get out of here before they cut our heads off.”

“We won’t leave here unless they want us to do so.” Iolanda muttered crossing her arms.

“Mycroft will free us, I’m sure.”

“Now that’s ridiculous. I know Holmes senior can do extremely doubtful things, but he is not—“ His sister started but was quickly interrupted.

“God? You’re right, your god hasn’t accomplished half of the things my brother has.”

Iolanda just rolled her eyes and sighed again. Ioan wasn’t hopeful about Mycroft coming to save them and he thought it was rather odd that Sherlock was resigned to just sit and wait for his brother instead of actually using his enormous brain to have some brilliant idea. The Romanian vampire narrowed his eyes. “What are you planning?” He asked.

“Nothing, obviously.” Sherlock hissed.

Ioan shook his head. “No, you know something. What is it?”

“They clearly knocked your head too hard on the ground. I hate to admit but I really am completely lost at the moment. In case you haven’t noticed they stole my conductor of light from me.”

“Exactly. And you’re not as half desperate as I thought you would be. You haven’t even moved, you—“

“If I was to show on the outside how I am in the inside there would not be a single wall left in the bloody castle and every single tapestry would have turned to ashes from the strength of my anger. I don’t speak because I’m afraid I’ll start screaming and begging for John if I do so; I don’t move because I’m certain I won’t be able to stop myself from hitting my head against the stone walls over and over again; I don’t have plans because the sun of my life, the blood in my veins, the reason I exist is so close but still so far away from me and there are at least a good hundred of old vampire warriors between us.” Sherlock stopped to finally take a deep symbolic breath and it seemed the world was falling down on his shoulders as he sunken to the floor heavily. “There is not something I want more than ripping Vlad’s limbs one by one before holding John hard against my chest. It was my responsibility to protect him and I failed. If something happens to him I—“

“Something you mean like him choosing to stay with the Prince instead of you?” Iolanda asked sarcastically.

Sherlock hesitated for a couple of seconds before answering. “He won’t. He is confused, which is completely understandable, but he won’t choose Tepes. He loves me, not him.”

“He loved him before—“

“Not anymore. Specially not after he finds out what Vlad used to do—“

“Killing people, you mean? Like you?”

“I killed because I had to. He killed for pleasure, he was a sadist bastard who—“

“Still, Vasile was pretty much okay with that as it seems.

“That was before he met Vasile. He stopped being the Impaler after they got together. But I met James Moriarty, the man he disguised as, and he was the same sick creature as before, playing games that destroyed people’s lives. John will never be with him. Of that I am sure.”

“Are you? What if he does then? What if we are free to leave the castle by his intervention but he chooses to stay with Vlad. Then what are you going to do?”

“Iolanda, stop—“ Ioan didn’t want to even think about that possibility for he didn’t know what he was going to do if that happened.

“No, I want to know because his actions might doom us all.” She insisted staring right to Sherlock.

“That would be Vlad obliging him to stay, blackmailing him, I would fi—“

“No, that would be John’s choice. You know that. He belongs here after all.”

“He belongs with ME!”

“Wrong.” 

They all turned their heads to look at outside the cell from where the calm and deep voice came. For how long had he been watching them?

  


\-- 

  


Vlad had spent so many centuries being James Moriarty that sometimes he couldn’t remember who was the real him. Of course that the vampire nature never left him in any identity he might have. No, it sounds contradictory, but his vampirism kept him close to his humanity, and although he started to quite hate humans he could never let go of that part of him; not because of Jim himself, but because of his love. Vasile. John. For a while they were the only two vampires in the world, they shared that – amongst other things – so he thought that if he embraced being a complete vampire, those memories would hold on to him keeping both parts Vasile liked so much, the monster and the human; he would still be connected to his prince regarding where they were and how far they were from each other. Jim knew Vasile was alive, much before they actually found him, he could  feel  that his  consort was alive. If Vasile was anywhere close to death he was sure he would know that, and he was even surer he couldn’t last a day without his soulmate living on this planet.

Now there he was; so confused, so lost, but oh beautiful and so perfect just like the Vasile in Vlad’s memo ries . Jim had chased after him for so long, searched everywhere, killed so many people to find his true love, and although everything was always against him he never gave up and he never lost hope. So when he felt the call of the medallion, he wasn’t surprised, he was relieved, he was enthralled. He knew his prince needed him. They were finally going to meet. Finally. And Vlad, Jim, and who else might live inside him  swore he would never let anyone break them apart again. Never again.

He looked down at Vasile again. Laid down on their old bed. Their room had changed, many things out of place – as was expected from his disgusting family – but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered right  then . Nor the chaos happening in the castle as his guards battled against he Devreme guards neither the prisoners he had locked in the dungeons. He was alone with his long lost  love and he could take care of the mess later – he knew it wouldn’t be easy, but damn if he didn’t like a challenge. For now he just observed his boy. He looked so different and yet so very the same. His hair was shorter, he was thinner and his body was covered by jeans and soft cloth instead of line and armors, which Vlad was thankful for. He knew his prince was brave and a great warrior, but his heart broke everytime he went to the battlefield, that fear that he wouldn’t go back to him.  Never again.

Jim wanted to touch him so badly but he was afraid. Afraid of what he wasn’t sure. He had taken John in his arms and carried him to their bed but that was it, he hadn’t actually touched him in more intimate ways. His hands would tremble if he w ere human, he would probably be sweating too, which was odd. He wasn’t nervous as much as he was relieved. The truth is that he didn’t know where to start. Vlad wanted to kiss every single part of Vasile, and Jim wanted to ask details about his new life; had he missed him, had he thought about him, had he searched for him. He knew the answers to these questions, though. The… - he couldn’t even think about their name right now – had messed up with his husband’s mind, manipulating him into believing John Watson’s life was the only life he had  ever have. But now the things were going back to his boy’s head, he noticed how his eyes widened when he glanced at Vlad before he fainted. He hated his family incredibly much and he would see all their heads in stakes but one thing they did right – accidentally right – and that was bringing Vasile back to his home, because here amongst their old life remains he w ould start to remember everything, all the things they went true. It would be a long way, a long way Jim was more than willing to go. He would do anything for Vasile.

He got close to the bed and  knelt beside it, elbow resting near John’s hip. The blond slept on his back, one arm over his belly and a peaceful expression on his handsome face.  An angel. My angel.  That was exactly what he thought when he first saw Vasile; he looked like an angel. So many centuries and the  want , the love, everything Vlad felt for Vasile were still the same, intense and wild, and maybe even greater for all the time they were apart. 

Jim laid his cheek a few centimeters away from John’s face and closed his eyes for a moment, just savouring the moment. Part of him was impatient but the most rational part of him knew he needed to go slowly if he didn’t want to scare his love away more than he would already be scared with everything going on in his so recently normal life. But then… Then he felt warm fingertips touching his temples and eyelids. He stilled, he wouldn’t be able to breathe even if he needed. Vasile was awake and Vasile was touching him. And oh how he had missed this warmth. He was always warm, even after the transformation. He was like the sun.  My Sun, I revolve around you . 

“Vlad…” His sweet sweet voice whispered. 

The dark haired vampire had missed this voice so much he couldn’t even put into words. He slowly opened his eyes and was welcomed with beautiful baby blue eyes staring right back at him. There was no fear in those eyes, there was no apprehension, only the same longing Jim was sure existed in his own dark eyes. 

“Vasile.” Vlad murmured back, voice filled with emotion.

And for his surprise John closed his eyes and smiled as if he had missed Vlad’s voice just as much. And then he did something that Jim was most definitely not expecting – at least not so soon. 

He kissed him.

John kissed Jim.

Vasile kissed Vlad.

It was chaste and gentle, but yet so intense and  so meaningful. Jim touched John’s hair sweetly but restrained himself for going too far.  Slowly, I need to go slowly . John pulled back after a while and his eyes were wet. “I’m sorry”, he said quietly almost to himself. Maybe to himself. Maybe to Sherlock? That made Vlad cringe inside, jealousy burning down his guts. He would have to deal with that one, but later. Now he needed to make sure everything was okay that if by any chance those apologies were to him.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, my one.” He said gently, touching his fingers lovingly to the boy’s cheek. “I’m the one who has to apologise for every single day I couldn’t find you.”

“No… I-“ John cut himself in the middle of the sentence and abruptly sat down as if suddenly remembering something. Something that had nothing to do with Vlad, he knew. “Where are the others? What happened?”

Jim bit his lip in frustration. Not frustration with John, no, he would never feel anything negative towards his boy. He blamed the Holmes brother, he blamed his own Devreme family, he blamed the… Others who had erased Vasile’s memo ries , and he blamed himself more than everyone else. He has had his life stole from him so many years ago.

“They are going to be taken care of. I promise you.”

“What? What do you mean by that?” John said standing up. Jim did the same. “They’re my friends. Sherlock…” He stopped himself as if understanding how that next statement would hurt Jim. “Don’t hurt them, please.”

And how could he deny his prince anything? It’s true, he wanted nothing but to impale Sherlock Holmes’ lean frame and expose  his corpse  to  the kingdom – kingdom he had to take it back. But he wouldn’t – he couldn’t – do that if it meant his love hurt, if it meant John would never forgive him. But he knew he also couldn’t let them go, that was impossible. Jim had an impasse.

“I’ll do anything for you, my love.” He walked closer to John, took his face between his hands and kissed his hair.

Without expecting an answer he knew John wouldn’t give him, he turned around, - as painful as it was to walk away from Vasile, he knew that if he didn’t do anything now the blond wouldn’t be relaxed enough to share his life with him – and got down to the dungeons. He had some prisoners to talk to after all.

 

 


	2. Nevermind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The flashback at the beginning of this chapter was adapted from a beautiful spin off Luthien_00 wrote for this story. Thank you for being so wonderful. <3

 

" _The war was lost. The treaty signed. I was not caught, I crossed the line. I was not caught, though many tried. I live among you well disguised.”_

 

 

__**" No... Do not come near.” The blond youth said with a scared little voice, "I will not go back there. I don't know how you managed to find my trails, but I'd rather throw myself off of a cliff than surrender and go back!”** _ _

__**"I don't know where you escaped from , or why, but if you are so afraid to return, not even God in all his power will snatch you away from here. Not under my protection. " The dark haired man said with an odd gentleness in his voice – very few people were that nice to him in his life. Vasile felt a wave of relief run through his spine but he wasn't completely certain about the stranger who was now stealthily getting closer to the blond.** _ _

__**"I have no idea who you are, sir, but if my father did not send you here, then what are you doing here? It's a dangerous part of the forest. They say there are creatures here about which we have no idea." The commoner said, quickly pulling his earthly dirty sword and pressing it at the haughty looking man, feeling more confident now that he apparently had the upper hand.** _ _

__**The man didn't seem too worried as much as he seemed impressed. " Forgive my lack of courtesy. I am a prince Vlad Tepes.” He made a deep reverence, bowing until his head nearly touched his knees. “I often hunt in these woods and I was looking for something out of the ordinary today . What I never expect ed was to meet an angel."** _ _

__**"You are a prince, sir?" For a moment, the sword in his hand subsided, but a second later returned its place at the supposed prince's throat. "How do I know,** _ **prince** ** _, that you're not lying?" He asked staring at the smiling Vlad._ ** _

__**When he was about to say something, four men jumped out from behind a nearby tree. "Your Highness!"** _ _

__**The blond slowly put down his sword on the ground. "I beg your pardon. I really thought you were a m ercenary hired by my father to kidnap me back." He averted his eyes from the prince's and his cheeks flushed hot scarlet. He was sure Vlad Tepes would arrest him for disrespect but instead he only touched his silky golden hair in such a gentle way that the younger man couldn't help but secretly like it.** _ _

__**"May I know your name?" The prince asked, touching his chin so he could look up again to meet those deep brown eyes.** _ _

__**"Vasile. Just Vasile.”** _ _

__**To his maximum surprise, Vlad took both of his small but strong hands on his bigger ones and lifted them to his lips, placing a sweet kiss on each knuckle . Vasile felt shivers on his limbs; that was usually how lads greeted lasses and not the other way around, but he found himself quite enjoying it.** _ _

__**"Mugurel, take my things. We're going back to the castle," the prince said to one of the guards , not taking his eyes off of Vasile. "I promise that I will personally take care of you... Vasile." The last word was filled with so many emotions, that the young man trembled involuntarily. "I'm taking you home."** _ _

 

John had his face on his hands as he tried to calm his breathing down. What a mess, what a mess. The images from when he was Vasile kept going back to his mind over and over again. He almost wished someone would hypnotize him back to obliviousness. It was so extremely confusing being two people at the same time, and now having to lovers only made it worse. He removed his hands from his face to run them through his tousled hair. He used to be quite clear in his objectives, but now he was so uncertain it didn't seem like himself. Well, he wasn't himself, but at the same time he was never so much himself as he was now. Bloody hell, I can't even make sense inside my own mind.

John was sure Sherlock was his true love, but Vasile's voice kept telling him Vlad was his true love. He looked at the big colourful window pane near the bed. It would be so easy to just jump and be done with it all. He shook his head. That wasn't really what he wanted, besides it wouldn't be fair to everyone else. As far as he knew a civil war was about to start and he wasn't even sure in which side we was supposed to be.

He sighed and leaned against the dresser's chair, looking at his face in the mirror. Who was looking back at him? John or Vasile? When Vlad – or Jim? - touched him it felt like home, it felt like a starving man finally getting some food after weeks of hunger. He felt completion. And the scariest part was that he was looking forward to more touching and more kissing, even though John knew deep down that was wrong. That was cheating on Sherlock. Sherlock, his imperfect and yet extraordinary boyfriend he loved so much. He missed him too, and he was so worried about him that it only added to his guilt of being stuck inside that room.

“My lord?”

John looked at the door, as Stelian's voice called from outside.

“Come in”, he said, not bothering to raise his voice as he knew the vampire would listen.

Stelian entered, closed the door behind him and bowed. “Your Grace.”

“Call me John. Or... Or Vasile. Just don't mind with the royal titles, please. I'm tired of it.” John muttered, standing up and walking towards the purple coat. He noticed the brown haired man flinched slightly at his approach. He frowned, “What's wrong?”

“Nothing, sir. I just came by to see if you need anything.” The vampire said in a tone of voice that seemed honest enough to John's ears.

“I need many things, Stelian.” John breathed, closing his eyes and touching the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. “But the best things you could give me are information and loyalty.”

“I was spared by His Highness Prince Vlad for being loyal to his name during all these years he's been away, my lord, so be assured that means I'm just as loyal and faithful to you.” Stelian proudly proclaimed.

John hummed. “That's very good, but what I was wondering is if the things we talk, everything we say to each other can continue just between us. Do you understand what I mean?”

Stelian seemed confused for a brief moment and then his face looked plain concerned. “I do, sir, but I cannot hide anything from the Prince, that goes against my oath, my lord.”

“What if it's for the Prince's own good? I wouldn't do anything to harm him...” John wondered if that was true if it came to him having to choose between Jim or Sherlock. “I just value my privacy and it would be beneficial to all of us if I could keep some business away from His Grace.”

“I don't know, my lord, I...”

“You took your oath to the prince. But I'm your prince too. Besides, I do enjoy your company, Stelian, I would be terribly sorry to watch you go away.” John knew this was a sort of threat and he hated himself for having to do it but he had no choice; he needed Stelian by his side.

The purple coat looked down for a second before straightening his head and giving John a short nod. “Yes, sir. Anything you tell me will stay only between us, no one else will know.”

John exhaled with relief. “Good. Thank you, Stelian.” John turned his head to look at the painting of Vlad and Vasile, looking so important and intense. He glanced to the vampire again and assumed a much more formal position, stuffed chest and perfect aligned column, chin up. For a moment he let himself be in Vasile's skin instead of John's. “I need your help with something.”

“Anything, your Grace.” Stelian said bowing his head.

“Bring me the castle's map.”

–

Mycroft was at a loss for words and that didn't happen very often. He dismissed his security men with a wave of his hand without even bothering to look at them. His brother was yet into another trouble. This time, though, Mycroft couldn't really blame him, he would have probably done the same for Gregory. Speaking of which, the grey haired man walked into the room looking much better than when he had arrived, almost completely recovered from the abduction and car explosion. Mycroft was quite bad for a couple of says because of his burnt skin but he was already healed and brand new.

“I heard it, Myc. What they told you. Sherlock and the others are all with hopes around their necks. Quite literally I'm afraid. What can we do?” Lestrade sat down on the chair in front of the older Holmes table.

“Not much, to be completely honest.” Mycroft sighed, hating to admit that.

“So what? We can't just give up on them. We must find a way!” Greg said with that exasperated air he had when he was stressed about something. Mycroft found it quite endearing, but that was not the time to tell him as much.

“I didn't say that.” He tried to give his lover a reassuring smile, reaching his hand across the table. “But we can't do anything impulsively. We need to plan this very well and very carefully. We're not dealing with a simple mafia, we're dealing with vampire royalty who's been ruling for centuries, and now has their rightful leader back. A very intelligent and determined leader, for that matter.”

Gregory calmed down a little, intertwining his fingers with Mycroft's. “I wonder how John is doing. Being a human in the middle of so many vampires is a little off putting, if I may say.” The inspector let out a bitter laugh.

The vampire tilted his head back, a strange expression on his round face. “John is not what most people think he is, my love.”

Lestrade frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I've had this suspicious at the back of my mind for a while now but it seems it's really true.” Mycroft stared at Greg right into his big beautiful honest brown eyes. “John is one of them.”

“What?! You mean, John is an ancient Romanian vampire?” Lestrade snorted.

“Well... Yes.” Mycroft knew how this sounded but after all the things that have been happening lately nothing seemed too absurd anymore, and that was the least of their problems. “We will need help.” He said, changing subject to the more urgent topic.

“That's a first. You thinking of asking for help?” Greg spoke a bit amused but very surprised. “So the situation is THAT serious. Oh my god.”

The copper haired Holmes held Lestrade's hand tighter and couldn't help giving him a sad smile. “It is. We will need to arrange a meeting with the other families. And trust me, it won't be pretty.”

“It doesn't matter. I'm with you. We'll go through this together, Myc.” Lestrade touched the vampire's cold cheek with his free hand and they both came closer to each other to share a sweet and very reassuring kiss. As long as I have Gregory, I can do anything.

 

 


	3. Make It Rain

 

 “ _I know there can come fire from the sky purifying the purest of kings and even though I know this fire brings me pain, even so and just the same: make it rain."_

 

__

Sherlock knew he was losing John. Much before this whole mess with James Moriarty or Vlad or whatever his real name was had begun. He was letting John slip through his fingers little by little with all his jealousy and possessiveness. John hated it and if he kept acting that way John would soon hate him too, and he couldn't let that happen. He would never admit it out loud but Ioan was right about most things he had told about how Sherlock treated John. He needed to stop, but it was so hard, and it would be even harder now with yet another vampire in love with his boyfriend. He kept telling himself that his blond love would always be John Watson – and to Sherlock he always would be indeed – but he couldn't control was happened inside John's mind, nor could he predict it. And of course he wouldn't blame the boy if he decided to assume Vasile's part and stay with Moriarty. But he wouldn't blame himself either for fighting with all he got to prevent it.

When he heard the low voice coming from outside the cell an instant wave of rage ran through his spine. If there wasn't a vampire-proof copper grid separating him from Moriarty he would have jumped on the despicable vampire prince without giving much of a thought to it. Instead he stood up and walked to stare right into those old dark eyes only a few inches apart from his silver ones. He could almost smell the challenge.

“Sherlock Holmes”, that deep voice murmured full of intent. “Long time since we don't see each other. How are you doing?” And then within the space of a sentence he was no longer Vlad but Jim, with that cynical squeaky tone.

“I'd do much better with your blood in my hands.” Sherlock answered, glaring back at the obnoxious creature.

Moriarty threw his head back and actually laughed. “That's sweet coming from you, Sherlock. Thank you.” He closed his eyes and exhaled with an exaggerated whistle. “We should be quick here, Holmes, because there's a certain gorgeous blond prince waiting for me in our chambers. He must be still recovering from our kissing session.” The brunet said the last part as if it was no big deal, and Sherlock was sure he knew how much that would affect him.

Although it was plain teasing, Sherlock could see in the older vampire's eyes that was also pretty true. Moriarty had kissed John. John had kissed Moriarty. John is confused, and James is taking advantage of that, he told himself. But he knew few people could make John do something he didn't want to. So maybe his boyfriend really did want to kiss James, but Sherlock could never be mad at John for it. He must have done it to see how he would react, if Vasile would show. And the problem was right there. Vasile. The younger Holmes needed to be with John as fast as possible to take all the evidences of Vasile from his mind. The more he stayed in Vlad's presence the more he would think himself as the long lost vampire prince. That couldn't happen. Vasile didn't love Sherlock Holmes, Vasile loved Vlad Tepes.

“What are you going to do to us?” Iolanda suddenly said, getting near the grid too.

Moriarty turned his glance at her with a smirk on his pale face. “Do you remember what used to be done with vampires traitors?”

Sherlock could feel the air change as Iolanda and Ioan practically frozen at the spot. They were afraid, and the Holmes vampire couldn't really blame them for that. They were older than Sherlock, they must have seen in person what Sherlock had only read on books and that was reason enough to carry a trauma. Back in the old days, they used to burn vampires alive like common witches. But of course it was the more painful since fire couldn't really kill them so they were left exposed and hurt to all to see until after the third day mercy finally came in the way of a sharp blade on each limb, leaving the head for last.

The vampire prince sighed. “Lucky for you my consort would hate me if I did such thing, since he appears to actually care about the three of you. Although I could never fathom why.”

“Of course you can't. You have no idea what love is.” Ioan muttered coming to stand a few meters away from Sherlock.

Sherlock watched as within seconds Moriarty's face changed to Vlad's features, all haughty and severe, a dangerous edginess on his brown eyes. He gripped the grids with his both hands in a tight grasp. “Have you ever felt like your heart lived in another body? Have you ever felt like greeting death because staying in a world without your soul mate was unbearably? But you kept going, you kept going because deep down you knew all the pain, all the torture, all the obstacles you would face was going to be worth it when you finally hold the person in your arms. Have you ever looked at someone and knew – just knew – that you would let yourself be killed by their hands readily if they asked you to? Have you ever sacrificed yourself for them knowing you would do that a thousand times just so they can be safe?” Vlad Tepes had his teeth bared, and his sharp as daggers fangs down. “You're a boy. You think you know love, but you have barely scratched the surface. I understand love. I know how it is destructive, but I'll be damned if I live without it.”

Ioan didn't say anything else, but he didn't back away either. The three incarcerated vampires just kept staring at the angry-looking ruler. Sherlock also understood love, or he might not exactly had understood it, but he surely had felt all of the things Vlad just said. He was much younger than the Romanian vampire but that didn't mean he was less in love with John than him. He chose not to say anything for the moment, though, if not for his sake than for the twins – he knew John would appreciate.

“If you aren't going to kill us, then what are you going to do?” Iolanda broke the silence, voice less mad and more worried.

Moriarty's expression was back, the traces of a smirk appearing on the corners of his mouth. “You are my official prisoners. Although the kingdom is still a mess, I think we should start reorganizing the entire place and bringing our law and order back. I think it's the fairest thing to do, don't you?” He shrugged, giving a low chuckle.

“Trials, then.” Ioan whispered.

“Indeed! Trials!” Jim exclaimed with that irritating screechy tone. “You aren't the only ones, though. My dear of a family is on the line before you. And I feel their trial will be much worse.” His mind seemed to wander for a moment as his eyes looked up and had an amused cruelty dancing there.

“Who's going to judge us? You? Now, that doesn't sound fair at all to me.” Iolanda said, crossing her arms.

“Of course! But I won't be the only one. Don't worry about that, honey, you will be fairly judged by a proper vampire court.” Moriarty bitterly grinned. “Vasile will probably want to see it so everything needs to be correct, as bad as it will feel for me.”

John, not Vasile. Sherlock wanted to correct, but instead he said, “No.”

The older vampire looked at him and there was no surprise on his face. “No?”

“No.” Sherlock repeated. “I don't want to be on trial with the others.”

The Holmes vampire knew pretty well that Moriarty was well aware of what would come next. “What do you want then, dear?” His grin only widened and his eyebrows arched in an expectant way.

“I want a trial by combat.”

  


–

  


Mycroft sat at the head of the table. He missed Lestrade's presence, but he was glad his lover wasn't here. Gregory was the bravest man Mycroft knew but he never really felt comfortable around other vampires. Besides, this was the kind of traditional meeting that only vampires were allowed. Some families were arrogant and old enough to still think of humans as inferior beings. The older Holmes sighed somewhat annoyed to have the need to gather all these people and ask their help – although to be fair it wasn't only a particular problem of his, after all if the prince decided to go back to the throne (what he certainly would) there was going to be a war amongst those in favour and against him, Mycroft was sure of that.

He took a look at the long table to analyse each family delegate. To his right Henry Knight was seated with both hands clasped on his lap, he looked nervous but that wasn't exactly news. The Knight Family was mostly known for their long history of fighting werewolves, which were currently extinct in Europe thanks to said family. Henry's father was a very brave and intelligent vampire that had been killed in one of the battles with the last werewolf pack they defeated many years ago. Henry was very different from his old man, the younger vampire wasn't known for being brave, although he had gotten his father's intelligence. Basically the Knight family now stayed out of major problems and liked to keep a clean business; Mycroft didn't think they would pose as an obstacle to his objectives, but he nonetheless expected some reluctance.

To his left Irene Adler was elegantly comfortable on her chair, legs crossed and hands joined on the table. She always seemed at her game, completely certain of what was going on and ready to make a move if necessary. The beautiful brunette was extremely smart and Mycroft liked people with her sneaky kind of mind. The Adler family wasn't very big and it was mostly composed by very powerful female vampires who didn't run away from a fight, and that was why the ginger Holmes also knew he would be able to count on Irene, even though he would have to keep an eye on her since she wasn't known for being very trustworthy.

Right next to Irene an old lady with greying hair was calmly smoking on her pipe. Anastasia Rice was the leader of one of the richest vampire families in the UK. Her vampires dealt with things Mycroft tried to keep under his radar without actually interfering with them. Truth was she had some sort of black market going on in the Welsh underground and there wasn't many people that had the courage to confront her. Rice had business with other humans and vampires around the world and he wasn't sure if she had had contact with the Devreme for the past years.

At Knight's side, there were the Donovan siblings, Sally and Gilly. They were famous on the vampire world for having killed their makers so they could take the command of the family, no one had found that unpleasant since their makers were two of the cruellest and sadists vampires ever seen. The sisters were stubborn and had a difficult personality but they hadn't a bad character and better: they were thirsty for justice.

Two families were absent. The Morans and the Murrays. The older Holmes knew the Murrays were away to deal with a problem involving some ancestral land they possessed in Africa, and they couldn't care less about the Devreme problem right then. The Moran family, on the other hand, was mostly composed by ex military vampires who could hold a grudge like few, and were certainly fierce fighters. The fact his leader, Sebastian Moran, hadn't answered his invitations wasn't somehow surprising when Mycroft first heard, but after reflecting better about it he thought it rather suspicious they would choose to miss such an important meeting without a good excuse, and decided to investigate it afterwards just in case.

“Alright. Shall we begin then?” Mycroft started, entwining his hands and giving each vampire a greeting look.

They all nodded, but before Mycroft could start there was a loud bang at the door, everyone turned to look at the figure emerging from outside. A big furry white overcoat, a red jumper and plain jeans covered a blonde's small body with an unknown young face. “You won't want to start this without me.”

  
_  
_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Rice family is a little tribute to Anne Rice, one of my favorite authors and certainly one of the best vampire writers ever. If you haven't yet, you should go check her work. I highly recommend The Queen of the Damned, it's fantastic. (Don't watch the movie, though, it sucks)

**Author's Note:**

> Please, leave a comment! I'd love to know what you think. :D


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